Carolyn Schatz – Harvard Health Bloghttps://www.health.harvard.edu/blog
Harvard Health Blog: You’ll find posts from Harvard Medical School physicians and our editors on a variety of health news and issues.Fri, 06 Mar 2020 20:54:31 +0000en-US
hourly
1 https://www.health.harvard.edu/images/misc/logo-HHP_shield.pngHarvard Health Bloghttps://www.health.harvard.edu/blog
102120Harvard Health Blog: You’ll find posts from Harvard Medical School physicians and our editors on a variety of health news and issues.Anorexia, bulimia, and other eating disorders in midlife and beyondhttps://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/anorexia-bulimia-and-other-eating-disorders-in-midlife-and-beyond-201201314168
https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/anorexia-bulimia-and-other-eating-disorders-in-midlife-and-beyond-201201314168#commentsTue, 31 Jan 2012 19:55:10 +0000http://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/?p=4168Eating disorders don't afflict only adolescents and young women, but plague older women, too, and may be shrouded in even greater shame and secrecy. Many women don't seek help, especially if they fear being forced to gain weight or stigmatized as having a "teenager's disease." As reported in the February 2012 Harvard Women's Health Watch, clinicians are reporting an upswing in requests from older women for help with eating disorders. For some of these women, the problem is new; others have struggled with anorexia, bulimia, binge eating, or another eating disorder for decades. Eating problems at midlife and beyond stem from a variety of causes, ranging from grief and divorce to illness, shifting priorities, and heightened awareness of an aging body.

Most people think that eating disorders afflict only adolescents and young women. Not so—they plague older women, too, and may be shrouded in even greater shame and secrecy. Many women don’t seek help, especially if they fear being forced to gain weight or stigmatized as having a “teenager’s disease.”

As we write in the February 2012 Harvard Women’s Health Watch, clinicians are reporting an upswing in requests from older women for help with eating disorders. For some of these women, the problem is new; others have struggled with anorexia, bulimia, binge eating, or another eating disorder for decades.

Surveys in Australia have charted a tripling or quadrupling of the percentage of people age 65 and older with an eating disorder. Researchers at Oregon Health & Science University have found that women ages 65 to 80 were just as likely as young adult women to feel fat or concerned about their body shape.

This dissatisfaction matters. People with eating disorders are usually intensely unhappy about their body shape and size. A negative body image can suggest or prefigure a full-blown eating disorder—or what doctors call a subclinical problem, in which a woman never becomes alarmingly thin but organizes her life around food and weight control.

Eating problems at midlife and beyond stem from a variety of causes. These range from grief and divorce to illness and shifting priorities. Heightened awareness of an aging body is another contributor. This can be especially problematic when a woman returns to school or work, or needs to keep working past the traditional retirement age, especially in fields where looks may be important.

“As our society values youth and as baby boomers reinvent what it means to be middle-aged, there are growing social forces that can undermine older women’s self-esteem and potentially lead to body dissatisfaction,” psychiatrist Anne E. Becker told us. “That, combined with health concerns about obesity, can make people feel bad about their bodies and, in turn, could result in eating strategies that undermine well-being,” says Becker, who directs the Eating Disorders Clinical and Research Program at Massachusetts General Hospital and president of the Academy for Eating Disorders.

Food and you

Could concerns about your body image or your relationship with food be crowding out other important parts of your life? Take a look at the questions below. If you answer yes to one or more of them, try to shift your conversations and mental energy away from food and body awareness. If this proves difficult, consider consulting a mental health professional.

Do you worry about your body and aging more than your friends do? What efforts do you make to hide these changes?

If you had the choice between living an extra five years and attaining your perfect weight, would you pick attaining your perfect weight?

Do you and your friends spend a lot of time discussing diets, weight, your looks, gym routines, etc.?

Does the number on the scale determine your mood for the day?

Do you spend an inordinate amount of time planning what to eat and not to eat and how to get enough exercise?

Do you gravitate toward health regimens that involve purging or restricting food—for example, going gluten- or yeast-free, becoming a vegan, fasting, or doing colonics or cleanses?

You can read the complete article on eating disorders in midlife and beyond on the Harvard Women’s Health Watch Web site. It covers types of eating disorders, explores possible causes, looks at treatment options, and provides resources for more information.

If you developed an eating disorder in middle age, let us know how you noticed it and how you are handling it.

]]>https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/anorexia-bulimia-and-other-eating-disorders-in-midlife-and-beyond-201201314168/feed64168https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.health.harvard.edu%2Fblog%2Fanorexia-bulimia-and-other-eating-disorders-in-midlife-and-beyond-201201314168]]>Adolescence: A high-risk time for substance use disordershttps://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/adolescence-a-high-risk-time-for-substance-use-disorders-2018080714402https://hhp-blog.s3.amazonaws.com/2012/01/Pea-on-a-plate.jpg2012-01-31 14:55:102012-01-31 19:55:10Omega-3 fatty acids for mood disordershttps://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/omega-3-fatty-acids-for-mood-disorders-2018080314414https://hhp-blog.s3.amazonaws.com/2012/01/Pea-on-a-plate.jpg2012-01-31 14:55:102012-01-31 19:55:10Smell disorders: When your sense of smell goes astrayhttps://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/smell-disorders-when-your-sense-of-smell-goes-astray-2018121215539https://hhp-blog.s3.amazonaws.com/2012/01/Pea-on-a-plate.jpg2012-01-31 14:55:102012-01-31 19:55:10Coping with the coronavirus pandemic for people with anxiety disordershttps://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/coping-with-the-coronavirus-pandemic-for-people-with-anxiety-disorders-2020032619327https://hhp-blog.s3.amazonaws.com/2012/01/Pea-on-a-plate.jpg2012-01-31 14:55:102012-01-31 19:55:10Impossible and Beyond: How healthy are these meatless burgers?https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/impossible-and-beyond-how-healthy-are-these-meatless-burgers-2019081517448https://hhp-blog.s3.amazonaws.com/2012/01/Pea-on-a-plate.jpg2012-01-31 14:55:102012-01-31 19:55:10https://hhp-blog.s3.amazonaws.com/2012/01/Pea-on-a-plate.jpgTwelve tips for healthier eating in 2012https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/twelve-tips-for-healthier-eating-in-2012-201201054057
https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/twelve-tips-for-healthier-eating-in-2012-201201054057#commentsThu, 05 Jan 2012 18:14:52 +0000http://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/?p=4057For many years, nutrition research focused on the benefits and risks of single nutrients, such as cholesterol, saturated fat, and antioxidants. Today, many researchers are exploring the health effects of foods and eating patterns, acknowledging that there are many important interactions within and among nutrients in the foods we eat. The result is a better understanding of what makes up a healthy eating plan. The January 2012 issue of the Harvard Women's Health Watch offers 12 ways to break old dietary habits and build new ones. These include eating breakfast, piling on the fruits and vegetables, choosing healthy fats, replacing refined grains with whole grains, and eating mindfully.

If healthier eating is on your list of resolutions for 2012, look no further. The January 2012 issue of the Harvard Women’s Health Watch offers 12 ways to break old dietary habits and build new ones.

For many years, nutrition research focused on the benefits and risks of single nutrients, such as cholesterol, saturated fat, and antioxidants. Today, many researchers are exploring the health effects of foods and eating patterns, acknowledging that there are many important interactions within and among nutrients in the foods we eat.

The result is a better understanding of what makes up a healthy eating plan. Here are five food- or meal-based ways to improve your diet that we list in the article (you can see all 12 on the Harvard Health website):

Pile on the vegetables and fruits. Their high fiber, mineral, and vitamin content make fruits and vegetables a critical component of any healthy diet. They’re also the source of beneficial plant chemicals not found in other foods or supplements.

Go for the good fats. Polyunsaturated fat, including vegetable oils and omega-3 fatty acids (found in fish, seeds, nuts, and canola oil), as well as monounsaturated fat (avocados, olive oil, and canola oil), are good for health, even more so when you eat them in place of saturated fats.

Replace refined grains and potatoes with whole grains. Refining grain reduces or eliminates the bran and germ of the natural grain, vitamins and minerals, antioxidants, and phytochemicals. It also makes the starch highly digestible. Eating highly digestible starch causes surges in insulin and blood sugar, boosts triglycerides, and lowers protective HDL cholesterol. The starch in potatoes is also rapidly digested. Be adventurous. In addition to whole wheat and brown rice, try quinoa, millet, farro, and amaranth.

Dine mindfully. Taking time to savor your food not only helps you enjoy it more, it also helps control your appetite. If you eat too quickly, the brain may not receive signals that the stomach is full. Put down your fork between bites and chew more slowly.

Eat breakfast. The daily morning rush sometimes means you skip breakfast. Don’t. A healthy morning meal makes for smaller rises in blood sugar and insulin throughout the day, which can lower the risk of overeating.

]]>https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/twelve-tips-for-healthier-eating-in-2012-201201054057/feed184057https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.health.harvard.edu%2Fblog%2Ftwelve-tips-for-healthier-eating-in-2012-201201054057]]>Are certain types of sugars healthier than others?https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/are-certain-types-of-sugars-healthier-than-others-20190529166992012-01-05 13:14:522012-01-05 18:14:52Looking past the pandemic: Could building on our willingness to change translate to healthier lives?https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/looking-past-the-pandemic-could-building-on-our-willingness-to-change-translate-to-healthier-lives-20200428196882012-01-05 13:14:522012-01-05 18:14:527 tips to help your child start school for the first timehttps://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/7-tips-to-help-your-child-start-school-for-the-first-time-20170815122022012-01-05 13:14:522012-01-05 18:14:524 tips for teaching your child how to ride a bike “on the road”https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/4-tips-for-teaching-your-child-how-to-ride-a-bike-on-the-road-20171026126262012-01-05 13:14:522012-01-05 18:14:524 tips for raising well-behaved childrenhttps://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/4-tips-for-raising-well-behaved-children-20180227134042012-01-05 13:14:522012-01-05 18:14:52The dangers of hospital delirium in older peoplehttps://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/the-dangers-of-hospital-delirium-in-older-people-201111163810
https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/the-dangers-of-hospital-delirium-in-older-people-201111163810#commentsWed, 16 Nov 2011 14:46:55 +0000http://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/?p=3810Many older people develop delirium when they are hospitalized. Delirium is a sudden change in mental status characterized by confusion, disorientation, altered states of consciousness (from hyperalert to unrousable), an inability to focus, and sometimes hallucinations. Hospital delirium is especially common among older people who’ve had surgeries such as hip replacement or heart surgery, or those who are in intensive care. Inflammation, infection, and medications can trigger hospital delirium as can potentially disorienting changes common to hospital stays, including sleep interruptions, unfamiliar surroundings, disruption of usual routines, separation from family and pets, and being without eyeglasses or dentures. Although delirium often recedes, it may have long-lasting aftereffects, including premature death and poorer outcomes, such as dementia and institutionalization.

ARCHIVED CONTENT: As a service to our readers, Harvard Health Publishing provides access to our library of archived content. Please note the date each article was posted or last reviewed. No content on this site, regardless of date, should ever be used as a substitute for direct medical advice from your doctor or other qualified clinician.

No matter how sick my grandmother got or what her doctors said, she refused to go to the hospital because she thought it was a dangerous place. To some degree, she was right. Although hospitals can be places of healing, hospital stays can have serious downsides, too.

One that has been getting a lot of attention lately is the development of delirium in people who are hospitalized. Delirium is a sudden change in mental status characterized by confusion, disorientation, altered states of consciousness (from hyperalert to unrousable), an inability to focus, and sometimes hallucinations. It’s the most common complication of hospitalization among older people.

Although delirium often recedes, it may have long-lasting aftereffects. A recent study published online in General Hospital Psychiatry found that hospital delirium can contribute to premature death. Among people over age 65 admitted to a general hospital, those diagnosed with delirium were more likely to die within one year than those without delirium.

The findings echo those in an analysis published last year in The Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) that found a link between hospital delirium in elderly people and poorer outcomes, including death, dementia, and institutionalization (such as in a nursing facility) within one to four years.

Hospital delirium is especially common among older people who’ve had surgeries such as hip replacement or heart surgery, or those who are in intensive care. Anything that interferes with neurotransmitters—the brain chemicals that communicate between nerve cells—can trigger it, including inflammation, infection, and medications. Also implicated are a host of potentially disorienting changes common to hospital stays, including sleep interruptions, unfamiliar surroundings, disruption of usual routines, separation from family and pets, and being without eyeglasses or dentures.

As described in the Harvard Women’s Health Watch, family members and close friends can do a lot to help prevent or limit delirium in an older person:

Make sure that hospital personnel have a complete list of all the medications the person is taking, including over-the-counter medicines.

Make things familiar for the person. Take a few family photos or other favorite things (such as a blanket, rosary, book or music tape) to the hospital.

If someone develops hospital delirium, stay with him or her in the hospital as much as possible, including at night. In addition to providing comfort and reassurance, family members are more likely than others to recognize when their loved one isn’t behaving normally or being treated appropriately.

Make sure the person has his or her eyeglasses, hearing aids, or dentures. These are often put away during a hospital stay, but that can contribute to disorientation.

Promote physical and mental activity. Help the patient get up and walk two or three times a day. Engage in quiet conversation about current events or family activities. Play card games or do crossword puzzles together.

]]>https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/the-dangers-of-hospital-delirium-in-older-people-201111163810/feed73810https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.health.harvard.edu%2Fblog%2Fthe-dangers-of-hospital-delirium-in-older-people-201111163810]]>Teething-pain remedy dangershttps://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/teething-pain-remedy-dangers-2018052913935https://hhp-blog.s3.amazonaws.com/2011/11/Elderly-woman-in-hospital-bed.jpg2011-11-16 09:46:552011-11-16 14:46:55An insider’s guide to a hospital stayhttps://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/an-insiders-guide-to-a-hospital-stay-2018071814266https://hhp-blog.s3.amazonaws.com/2011/11/Elderly-woman-in-hospital-bed.jpg2011-11-16 09:46:552011-11-16 14:46:55Post-hospital syndrome: Tips to keep yourself or a loved one healthy after hospitalizationhttps://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/post-hospital-syndrome-tips-to-keep-yourself-or-a-loved-one-healthy-after-hospitalization-2019012315830https://hhp-blog.s3.amazonaws.com/2011/11/Elderly-woman-in-hospital-bed.jpg2011-11-16 09:46:552011-11-16 14:46:55Getting sleep in the hospitalhttps://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/getting-sleep-in-the-hospital-2019123118571https://hhp-blog.s3.amazonaws.com/2011/11/Elderly-woman-in-hospital-bed.jpg2011-11-16 09:46:552011-11-16 14:46:55Go to the hospital if you need emergency care, even in the era of COVID-19https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/go-to-the-hospital-if-you-need-emergency-care-even-in-the-era-of-covid-19-2020050519760https://hhp-blog.s3.amazonaws.com/2011/11/Elderly-woman-in-hospital-bed.jpg2011-11-16 09:46:552011-11-16 14:46:55https://hhp-blog.s3.amazonaws.com/2011/11/Elderly-woman-in-hospital-bed.jpgStudy supports alcohol, breast cancer linkhttps://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/study-supports-alcohol-breast-cancer-link-201111033747
https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/study-supports-alcohol-breast-cancer-link-201111033747#commentsThu, 03 Nov 2011 12:57:55 +0000http://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/?p=3747A 28-year study of 106,000 women found that moderate alcohol slightly increases a woman's risk of developing breast cancer. Women who had the equivalent of three to six drinks a week had a modest increase in their risk of breast cancer (15%) compared to women who never drank alcohol. That would translate into an extra 3 cases of breast cancer per 1,000 women per year. The risks were the same for wine, beer, and spirits. Because moderate drinking appears to prevent some types of heart disease—which affects more women than breast cancer does—it's important for women to think about alcohol in light of their own personal health situation.

For years, women have been cautioned that having more than one alcoholic drink a day increases the risk of developing breast cancer. A new study supports this link, and suggests that a drink a day may be too much (see “What is a drink?” below).

A team of Harvard-affiliated researchers tracked the health of 106,000 women over a 28-year period—an eternity in medical research. The women were asked several times over the course of the study about their diets, drinking habits, and much more. Women who had the equivalent of three to six drinks a week had a modest increase in their risk of breast cancer (15%) compared to women who never drank alcohol. While a 15% increase sounds like a lot, it would translate into an extra three cases of breast cancer per 1,000 women per year. The greater the alcohol consumption, the higher the risk of developing breast cancer. Two drinks a day would translate into an extra four cases of breast cancer per 1,000 women per year.

It didn’t matter what type of alcohol the women drank. The risks were the same for wine, beer, and spirits.

The results, published yesterday in JAMA, solidify what we know about the connection between alcohol and breast cancer. But how do they square with all of the “alcohol is good for your heart” messages women (and men) have been getting over the years?

The risks and benefits of alcohol have been calculated for large groups of women. But none of us is exactly like the mythical average woman that emerges from large studies. What’s important is to determine how alcohol consumption might affect us as individuals. As explained in an article in last month’s Harvard Heart Letter, “More to the story than alcohol = heart protection,” that depends on our own health risks.

If you are at high risk for coronary artery disease and low risk for breast cancer, a drink a day could be beneficial. If you are at high risk for breast cancer, then drinking alcohol might do you more harm than good. And keep in mind that alcohol affects almost every other system in the body beside the heart and breast.

With all the focus on the benefits and risks of moderate drinking, excess drinking is often overlooked. The National Institutes of Health estimates that 4 in 10 people who drink alcohol are heavy drinkers or at risk for becoming one, and that nearly 19 million Americans have a problem with alcohol.

What is “a drink”?

In the United States, a standard drink contains about 0.6 fluid ounces of alcohol. The drinks shown above contain roughly that amount of alcohol. Moderate drinking is generally defined as no more than two drinks a day for men and no more than one drink a day for women. The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism defines drinking as low risk, increased risk, and highest risk.

]]>https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/study-supports-alcohol-breast-cancer-link-201111033747/feed83747https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.health.harvard.edu%2Fblog%2Fstudy-supports-alcohol-breast-cancer-link-201111033747]]>Study supports benefit of statin use for older adultshttps://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/study-supports-benefit-of-statin-use-for-older-adults-2019100217932https://hhp-blog.s3.amazonaws.com/2011/11/Alcohol-featured.jpg2011-11-03 08:57:552011-11-03 12:57:55Is there a link between alcohol and skin cancer?https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/loose-link-alcohol-skin-cancer-2017120812861https://hhp-blog.s3.amazonaws.com/2011/11/Alcohol-featured.jpg2011-11-03 08:57:552011-11-03 12:57:55Strong study shows no link between vasectomy and prostate cancerhttps://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/strong-study-shows-no-link-vasectomy-prostate-cancer-2017082312265https://hhp-blog.s3.amazonaws.com/2011/11/Alcohol-featured.jpg2011-11-03 08:57:552011-11-03 12:57:55Heart disease and breast cancer: Can women cut risk for both?https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/heart-disease-and-breast-cancer-can-women-cut-risk-for-both-2019010815683https://hhp-blog.s3.amazonaws.com/2011/11/Alcohol-featured.jpg2011-11-03 08:57:552011-11-03 12:57:55Psoriasis and cancer: What’s the link?https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/psoriasis-and-cancer-whats-the-link-2019120518320https://hhp-blog.s3.amazonaws.com/2011/11/Alcohol-featured.jpg2011-11-03 08:57:552011-11-03 12:57:55https://hhp-blog.s3.amazonaws.com/2011/11/Alcohol-featured.jpgTinnitus: What to do about ringing in the earshttps://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/tinnitus-what-to-do-about-ringing-in-the-ears-201109263412
https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/tinnitus-what-to-do-about-ringing-in-the-ears-201109263412#commentsMon, 26 Sep 2011 15:58:04 +0000http://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/?p=3412Sometimes chronic tinnitus can be fixed by taking care of the underlying cause, like grinding your teeth at night or taking aspirin. Otherwise, one of the simplest approaches is masking the noise by listening to music or having a radio, fan, or white-noise machine going in the background. Some companies make devices worn like hearing aids that generate low-level white noise. Hearing experts often recommend masking before turning to more expensive options such as cognitive behavioral therapy, tinnitus retraining therapy, biofeedback and stress management, and transcutaneous electrical stimulation of parts of the inner ear.

At one time or another, almost everyone experiences a ringing in their ears. It’s common after sitting through a loud concert or an exuberant football game, or after taking aspirin or an antibiotic for a while. But as many as 50 million Americans have chronic tinnitus (pronounced tih-NITE-us or TIN-ih-tus)—a constant ringing, whistling, buzzing, chirping, hissing, humming, roaring, or even shrieking. (If you don’t have tinnitus, you can get an idea of what people with the condition hear at the American Tinnitus Association’s Web site.)

Chronic tinnitus can be caused by a variety of things, from impacted ear wax to medications that damage nerves in the ear, middle ear infection, and even aging. Damage to hair cells in the ear’s cochlea (see the illustration below) are suspected as a common pathway for these causes. As I write in the September issue of the Harvard Women’s Health Watch, chronic tinnitus can also be a symptom of Ménière’s disease, a disorder of the balance mechanism in the inner ear. (You can read the full article here.)

Managing tinnitus

When chronic tinnitus is caused by a definable problem, like ear wax or grinding your teeth at night or taking aspirin, addressing that problem will often turn down the volume. Otherwise, several strategies can help make tinnitus less bothersome.

One of the simplest approaches is masking the noise. You can do this by listening to music or having a radio, fan, or white-noise machine going in the background. If money is no issue, you can buy devices worn like hearing aids that generate low-level white noise. Although there isn’t enough evidence from randomized trials to draw any conclusions about the effectiveness of masking, hearing experts often recommend it before turning to more expensive options such as cognitive behavioral therapy, tinnitus retraining therapy, biofeedback and stress management, and transcutaneous electrical stimulation of parts of the inner ear.

Not all insurance companies cover tinnitus treatments in the same way, so be sure to check your coverage. If you’re willing to enroll in a research study, you may be able to receive a cutting-edge treatment free. (For more information, go to www.clinicaltrials.gov, and enter the search term “tinnitus.”)

Hair cells in the cochlea transform sound waves into electrical signals that travel to the brain's auditory cortex. When these cells are damaged by loud noise, medications, or other problematic inputs, brain circuits don't receive the signals they are expecting to get. They respond by generating abnormal activity, which results in the illusion of sound, which is tinnitus.

]]>https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/tinnitus-what-to-do-about-ringing-in-the-ears-201109263412/feed173412https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.health.harvard.edu%2Fblog%2Ftinnitus-what-to-do-about-ringing-in-the-ears-201109263412]]>When should I be concerned about ringing in my ears?https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/when-should-i-be-concerned-about-ringing-in-my-ears-2020020818855https://hhp-blog.s3.amazonaws.com/2011/09/Woman-tinnitus.jpg2011-09-26 11:58:042011-09-26 15:58:04https://hhp-blog.s3.amazonaws.com/2011/09/Woman-tinnitus.jpgPainful, disabling interstitial cystitis often goes undiagnosedhttps://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/painful-disabling-interstitial-cystitis-often-goes-undiagnosed-201108043219
https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/painful-disabling-interstitial-cystitis-often-goes-undiagnosed-201108043219#commentsThu, 04 Aug 2011 15:07:59 +0000http://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/?p=3219Millions of Americans—most of them women—suffer from a bladder condition known as interstitial cystitis. According to a new study of this disorder, fewer than 10% of women with symptoms of interstitial cystitis are actually diagnosed with the disorder, even though it severely affects their lives. Without a proper diagnosis, women with interstitial cystitis are missing […]

Millions of Americans—most of them women—suffer from a bladder condition known as interstitial cystitis. According to a new study of this disorder, fewer than 10% of women with symptoms of interstitial cystitis are actually diagnosed with the disorder, even though it severely affects their lives. Without a proper diagnosis, women with interstitial cystitis are missing out on treatments that might bring them some relief.

As I describe in an article in the August 2011 issue of the Harvard Women’s Health Watch, interstitial cystitis is a chronic bladder condition that causes recurring bouts of pain and pressure in the bladder and pelvic area. Individuals with the condition usually have an urgent and frequent need to urinate—sometimes as often as 60 times a day. The pain and discomfort can be so excruciating that only about half of people with interstitial cystitis work full-time.

Researchers with the federally funded RAND Interstitial Cystitis Epidemiology (RICE) study surveyed nearly 150,000 households in the United States between 2007 and 2009. Based on data gathered during follow-up interviews, the RICE researchers estimated that 3% to 7% of American women have bladder symptoms that could be interstitial cystitis. (The researchers focused on women because women develop interstitial cystitis about eight times more than men do.) That translates into three to eight million women possibly affected—far more than health experts thought.

Most of the women with symptoms of interstitial cystitis who were interviewed had seen one or more clinicians, and almost half had gotten a diagnosis of some kind. But only 9.7% were diagnosed with interstitial cystitis. The findings were published in the August 2011 Journal of Urology.

Just this spring, the American Urological Association published the first-ever clinical guidelines for diagnosing and treating interstitial cystitis. There’s little consensus on the best ways to treat this condition. But several approaches, alone or in combination, have been shown to help. These include:

psychosocial support

behavior changes, such as avoiding foods or activities that cause flare-ups

medications, such as tricyclic antidepressants (which relax the bladder) and Elmiron (the only medication specifically approved by the FDA for treating interstitial cystitis)

]]>https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/painful-disabling-interstitial-cystitis-often-goes-undiagnosed-201108043219/feed83219https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.health.harvard.edu%2Fblog%2Fpainful-disabling-interstitial-cystitis-often-goes-undiagnosed-201108043219]]>Smell disorders: When your sense of smell goes astrayhttps://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/smell-disorders-when-your-sense-of-smell-goes-astray-2018121215539https://hhp-blog.s3.amazonaws.com/2011/08/Woman-stomach-pain.jpg2011-08-04 11:07:592011-08-04 15:07:59Young children are swallowing objects twice as often as beforehttps://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/young-children-are-swallowing-objects-twice-as-often-as-before-2019051416589https://hhp-blog.s3.amazonaws.com/2011/08/Woman-stomach-pain.jpg2011-08-04 11:07:592011-08-04 15:07:59Knee arthroscopy: Should this common knee surgery be performed less often?https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/knee-arthroscopy-should-this-common-knee-surgery-be-performed-less-often-2020042019507https://hhp-blog.s3.amazonaws.com/2011/08/Woman-stomach-pain.jpg2011-08-04 11:07:592011-08-04 15:07:59Eat these foods daily (or at least often)https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/eat-these-foods-daily-or-at-least-often-2018040513582https://hhp-blog.s3.amazonaws.com/2011/08/Woman-stomach-pain.jpg2011-08-04 11:07:592011-08-04 15:07:59https://hhp-blog.s3.amazonaws.com/2011/08/Woman-stomach-pain.jpgMindfulness meditation improves connections in the brainhttps://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/mindfulness-meditation-improves-connections-in-the-brain-201104082253
https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/mindfulness-meditation-improves-connections-in-the-brain-201104082253#commentsFri, 08 Apr 2011 15:15:48 +0000http://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/?p=2253Mindfulness meditation can ease stress. It also seems to do a lot more, like help with physical and psychological problems from high blood pressure and chronic pain to anxiety and binge eating. New research shows that mindfulness meditation changes the way nerves connect.

When I’m stressed, I listen to a 20-minute mindfulness meditation tape. It always helps me feel calmer and more relaxed. Many meditative practices can do this. But mindfulness meditation is getting a lot of attention because it seems to help with so many physical and psychological problems—like high blood pressure, chronic pain, psoriasis, sleep trouble, anxiety, and depression. It’s also been shown to boost immune function and stop binge eating. No one knows for sure what’s behind these benefits, but physical changes in the brain probably play a role.

Mindfulness meditation is a mental discipline. You start by focusing your attention on your breath, a sensation in the body, or a chosen word or phrase. You note the thoughts, emotions, and background sounds that arise from moment to moment, observing them without analyzing them or making judgments about what’s going on around you. If you drift into thoughts about the past or concerns about the future, you bring your attention back to the present, for example, by refocusing on your breathing. It takes practice.

A new study, published in the May 2011 issue of Neuroimage, suggests that one effect of all this focusing and refocusing is increased brain connectivity. Researchers at the University of California-Los Angeles compared the brain activity of volunteers who had finished eight weeks of mindfulness-based stress reduction training with that of volunteers who did not do such training. Functional MRI scans showed stronger connections in several regions of the meditators’ brains—especially those associated with attention and auditory and visual processing. Unfortunately, the study didn’t scan the volunteers’ brains before mindfulness training, so no one can say for sure that mindfulness training was responsible for the differences.

At Massachusetts General Hospital, researchers used MRI scans to document before and after changes in the brain’s gray matter—the “processing” neurons—associated with mindfulness meditation. The density of gray matter increased in regions governing such distinctly different activities as memory, self-awareness, and compassion, and decreased in the amygdala—the part of the brain associated with fear and stress. We covered this intriguing research in the April issue of Harvard Women’s Health Watch.

At the moment, scientists can only speculate about the relationship between these brain changes and the health benefits associated with mindfulness meditation. But the research adds to growing evidence that meditative practices can alter the body at a fundamental level—even, it turns out, at the level of our genes. Meditation elicits the “relaxation response,” a state of deep relaxation first described more than 35 years ago by mind-body pioneer Dr. Herbert Benson, currently emeritus director of the Benson-Henry Institute of Mind-Body Medicine at Massachusetts General Hospital. Since then, Benson and his colleagues at Massachusetts General Hospital and Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center have discovered that relaxation techniques (including meditation and yoga) turn certain sets of genes on and off in people who practice them regularly. Benson, who is the medical editor of Stress Management: Approaches for preventing and reducing stress (a Special Health Report from Harvard Health Publishing, which also publishes Harvard Women’s Health Watch), says these genes are involved with controlling “how the body handles free radicals, inflammation processes, and cell death.” You can read about the gene research here.

]]>https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/mindfulness-meditation-improves-connections-in-the-brain-201104082253/feed352253https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.health.harvard.edu%2Fblog%2Fmindfulness-meditation-improves-connections-in-the-brain-201104082253]]>Yoga improves treatment-related symptoms in men with prostate cancerhttps://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/yoga-improves-treatment-related-symptoms-men-prostate-cancer-2017080411975https://hhp-blog.s3.amazonaws.com/2011/04/iStock_000015962486XSmall.jpg2011-04-08 11:15:482011-04-08 15:15:48Losing weight: Mindfulness may helphttps://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/losing-weight-mindfulness-may-help-2018062714144https://hhp-blog.s3.amazonaws.com/2011/04/iStock_000015962486XSmall.jpg2011-04-08 11:15:482011-04-08 15:15:48Mindfulness apps: How well do they work?https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/mindfulness-apps-how-well-do-they-work-2018110615306https://hhp-blog.s3.amazonaws.com/2011/04/iStock_000015962486XSmall.jpg2011-04-08 11:15:482011-04-08 15:15:48Right brain/left brain, right?https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/right-brainleft-brain-right-2017082512222https://hhp-blog.s3.amazonaws.com/2011/04/iStock_000015962486XSmall.jpg2011-04-08 11:15:482011-04-08 15:15:48Super-agers: This special group of older adults suggests you can keep your brain young and spryhttps://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/super-agers-this-special-group-of-older-adults-suggests-you-can-keep-your-brain-young-and-spry-2017070511957https://hhp-blog.s3.amazonaws.com/2011/04/iStock_000015962486XSmall.jpg2011-04-08 11:15:482011-04-08 15:15:48https://hhp-blog.s3.amazonaws.com/2011/04/iStock_000015962486XSmall.jpg